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Why Drones Aren’t Delivering to Investors Yet

Private companies dominate quadcopter sales, like China’s DJI

By

Dan Gallagher

Updated March 7, 2016 6:49 p.m. ET

Drones are taking off, though it may be challenging for most investors to catch a quick ride.

DJI, the China-based company that is the undisputed market leader, launched its latest drone last week. That product, the Phantom 4, brings several autopilot-like capabilities to an industry still often plagued by human error.

Data on the nascent drone market is sparse, but the specter of increased regulation hasn’t seemed to ground...